Owners of certain automotive vehicles often use the vehicles to haul various items in the cargo area of the vehicles. Certain passenger vehicles and certain station wagons have rear seats which may be collapsed to increase the cargo area of the vehicle. When these vehicles are used to haul items, the carpet of the vehicle may become soiled or damaged especially if the items or materials being hauled are greasy or contain corrosive materials such as lawn fertilizer and the like. Some vehicle owners use make shift covers to protect the carpet.
Certain prior art devices have been developed for protecting cargo areas of the vehicle such as the device disclosed in the U.S. Pat. No. 4,789,574. Other prior art devices such as those shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,171,145 and U.S. Pat. No. 3,537,746 illustrate extendable and retractable covers for motorcycle seats. However, none of these prior art devices or any known prior art devices disclose the concept of an extendable and retractable cover for protecting the cargo area of a vehicle such as a station wagon.